You may have heard the famous London Underground command “mind the gap.” But this phrase isn’t just for boarding trains. Yes, many boats and commercial buildings put a HOLE in the middle of tile and wood floors for recessed rugs.
Wool carpets don’t off-gas and are better for the environment. But if you want to TOTALLY avoid synthetic fibers, we have a solution. Purchase an undyed wool carpet with no latex backing. Wool carpet pads are available too!
Floors are big purchases. Before your client commits to a patterned carpet, make sure they see that carpet in a larger space. You can find room scenes online or directly on the sample board itself.
Exploding floors, jagged cuts and bumpy installations are just a few of the horror stories we’ve encountered when contractors and handymen say they can do anything. Avoid unhappy clients—choose craftsmen with a long experience of DOING the work.
We filmed at a beautiful Middletown, RI home to show you exactly how our master craftsmen install seagrass with seams. The takeaway? This complex process requires years of experience to get the job done right.
The whitest carpets, the softest carpets and the most stain-resistant carpets are all made of materials like nylon and polyester.
Woven wool carpets are a big investment. If you use a common beater bar vacuum, you risk pulling pieces of your expensive carpet apart. If you want your wool carpet to last for as many as 20-30 years, be careful with your vacuum choice.
Ken lays down his rug rules—including no rugs bisecting walkways and doorways. This week, we’re wondering if YOU have any rug rules, whether about placement, design, material, color and more. Leave your comments below!
We love the artisan look of serged rugs, but they are delicate. In under a year, the serging on our showroom rug is already coming undone!
Want to make sure your client loves their new hardwood floor? Start small with a single box of wood. Concerns with color/character variation and plank width need to be resolved BEFORE installation.
Wide-width woven carpets are getting popular, allowing for fewer or even no seams in larger rooms. One problem: They weigh a ton!
Keep in mind: Carpet tile is different than regular carpet! With that said, we love carpet tile for commercial spaces. The patterns and styles have come a long way.
Stair carpet and area rugs look beautiful with a wide binding. Here’s our warning: Be very wary if your client has pets or expects lots of foot traffic.
On Ken’s annual visit to Utah’s Little America Hotel, he saw a really bad seam in a recently renovated carpet. Big mistake! For commercial work, beautiful carpets are not always better.
When you client’s stairs have turns, there’s no need to limit carpet pattern choice. Our master craftsman Jody Tucker talks about the tricks for nailing the installation—including the need to keep the pattern symmetrical on the inside turn.
What does sisal carpet and Frankenstein’s monster have in common? They’re alive! Don’t let your client’s sisal carpet crawl up the walls or rip out tack strips. Sisal should always be glued to the floor or to a pad for wall-to-wall installations.
Flat woven wool and sisal carpets are a significant investment. Make sure your design clients know how to take care of them properly.
Every detail counts when it comes to these 4 important steps for seaming a woven carpet. Missing the mark on just one of these steps can lead to a failed installation of an expensive product.
